Light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), Electroluminescence (EL), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have paved the way for energy efficient lighting means. Oleg Vladimirovich Losev independently reported on the creation of an LED in 1927. Rubin Braunstein of the Radio Corporation of America reported on infrared emission from gallium arsenide (GaAs) and other semiconductor alloys in 1955. Braunstein observed infrared emission generated by simple diode structures using gallium antimonide (GaSb), GaAs, indium phosphide (InP), and silicon-germanium (SiGe) alloys at room temperature and at 77 K.
In 1961, American experimenters Robert Biard and Gary Pittman working at Texas Instruments, found that GaAs emitted infrared radiation when electric current was applied and received the patent for the infrared LED. The first practical visible spectrum (red) LED was developed in 1962 by Nick Holonyak Jr., while working at General Electric Company. In 1976, T. P. Pearsall created the first high brightness, high efficiency LEDs for optical fiber telecommunications by inventing new semiconductor materials specifically adapted to optical fiber transmission wavelengths.
The first commercial LEDs were commonly used as replacements for incandescent and neon indicator lamps, and in seven-segment displays, first in expensive equipment such as laboratory and electronics test equipment, then later in such appliances as TVs, radios, telephones, calculators, and even watches (see list of signal applications). These red LEDs were bright enough only for use as indicators, as the light output was not enough to illuminate an area. The invention and development of the high power white light LED led to use for illumination.
Electroluminescence (EL) or the generation of light by the electrical excitation of light emitting phosphors has been around for many years. Electroluminescence was first observed in silicon carbide (SiC) by Captain Henry Joseph Round in 1907 who reported that a yellow light was produced when a current was passed through a silicon carbide detector. The first thin-film EL structures were fabricated in the late 1950s by Vlasenko and Popkov who observed that luminance increased markedly in EL devices when they used a thin film of Zinc Sulfide doped with Manganese (ZnS:Mn). Luminance was much higher in thin film EL (TFEL) devices than in those using powdered substances. Such devices however were still too unreliable for commercial use.
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are transparent when turned off the devices could even be installed as windows or skylights to mimic the feel of natural light after dark, or to serve as the ultimate inconspicuous flat-panel television. In 2006 scientists studying OLEDs made a critical leap from single-color displays to a highly efficient and long lived natural light source.
Despite various improvements and progress in the field, some of the major obstacles that still exist to effective use of light sources such as LEDs, ELs and OLEDs are problems of configuration in novel sizes, shapes and patterns, problems in easy connectivity between different light segments, low light output, susceptibility to moisture, problems of easy installation without many peripherals, cost effective manufacture, maximum utilization of minimal power sources and short life.
Accordingly, improvements are needed in the existing methods and structures that negate the above shortcomings in the existing systems. The relevant prior art methods, which will deal with light sources, are as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,620 describes a multi panel electroluminescent panel assembly in which an area extending over several panels may be uniformly illuminated by light produced by the panels, and over which non-illuminated areas, stripes or the like resulting from electrode contracts are eliminated. Each panel is constructed such that the light produced per unit area is substantially uniform throughout the panel, including that from an area immediately adjacent at least one edge thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,035 describes a flexible lighting strip including a circuit of modular construction formed thereon, light emitting diodes connected to said circuit, and the circuit being connectable to control circuitry which provides selected energization to said circuit and the light emitting diodes for effecting a moving light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,273 describes a flexible conductor of strip configuration including a pair of copper conductors laminated between a pair of insulating material layers. Illuminating comprising a plurality of miniature or sub-miniature light bulbs assembled in a longitudinal array along a preferably flexible and flat conductor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,086 describes an electroluminescence light emission apparatus based on a switch circuit formed of a switch element and a thyristor connected in series across a DC power source. Electroluminescence light emission apparatus having a simple configuration and a low level of power consumption, while providing a satisfactory level of emitted light brightness and utilizes an electroluminescence element functioning to emit light in response to applied voltage pulses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,345 describes an elongate electroluminescent light strip. An electroluminescent light element which has a semitransparent film is encapsulated in a moisture impervious material. A process for extruding such a strip is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,355 describes a cable like electroluminescent light source comprises at least two electrodes mutually disposed in such a way as to crate between them an electric field when a voltage is applied to them; at least one type of pulverulent electroluminophor dispersed in a dielectric binder and disposed in such proximity to the electrodes as to be effectively excited by the electric fields when created and to emit light of a specific color, and a transparent polymer sheath encasing the electrodes and the electroluminophor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,679 describes an illumination system with a panel that is capable of producing electroluminescence function of the panel. An illumination system can emit electroluminescence light as well as reflect incident light received from an outside light source. A layer of phosphor is excited by a power source, and a reflective layer disposed on top of the phosphor layer reflects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,613 describes a flexible thick film electroluminescent lamp and method of construction in which a single non-hygroscopic binder is used for all layers thereby reducing delamination as a result of temperature changes and the susceptibility to moisture. Thick film electroluminescent lamps comprise a phosphor between an optically transparent front electrode layer, and a back electrode layer, all covered by protective electrode layer. The two electrodes are generally planar layers, but may be grids of electrically conductive material disposed at right angles to each other so that the phosphor at selected grid coordinates can be excited.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,869 describes the luminous efficiency and radiance of light emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with conjugated organic polymer layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,109,661 describes an electroluminescent light emission system having electroluminescent light emitting layer containing electroluminescent light emitting elements. The AC electric field forming material on the one surface side enables an AC electric field to be generated in the electroluminescent light emitting layer with an AC volt age applied between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,785 describes an electroluminescent device having light emitting layer containing phosphor particles which protrude from a light emitting layer, and an electrode layer which conforms to the protrusions. Methods of constructing a lamp using a temperature above the softening temperature of the insulating layer of the device are also disclosed.
US Patent Publication no. 20010043472 describes a ribbon light string is formed from a reinforced ribbon carrying a light string. The ribbon may be reinforced with peripheral reinforcing wires so that it may be shaped in decorative ways.
US Patent Publication no. 20020145873 describes a ribbon light assembly comprising a substrate and at least one light string releasably intertwined with the substrate. Each light string is formed of a plurality of lamp sockets and a plurality of lamp sockets and a plurality of wires connecting the lamp sockets. Each of the lamp sockets is substantially disposed on one substrate surface, and each of the wires is substantially disposed on an opposite surface. An opposite surface which receives at one element thereto, maintain the lamp sockets in a fixed pattern on the substrate.
US Patent Publication no. 20060244377 describes an electroluminescent light source has an elongated insulating transparent polymer sheaths having longitudinal axis of the sheath and connectable to a power source; a plurality of elongate electroluminescent layers partially surrounding one of the electrodes. Each electrodes having outer surface is partially surrounded by a respective one of the electroluminescent layers and being provided with a light reflecting coating.
US Patent Publication no. 20070210321 describes an edge light-emitting device having, on a light permeable substrate, a stacked structure including a pair of electrodes and at least one light emitting layer interposed between the electrodes, in which light emission is taken-out from a light emitting edge other than the light emitting edge of the stacked structure.
US Patent Publication no. 20090296395 describes that the present invention provides a light strip comprises an elongate core layer of insulating material having a plurality of light mounting apertures extending through the core layer. A light strip comprising of light emitting diodes connected at longitudinally spaced positions between a pair of longitudinally extending conductive elements of forming the light strip. A core layer spans in the longitudinal direction adjacent each one of the two opposed faces of the elongate core layer to enclose opposing ends of the light mounting apertures with the light emitting diodes therein.
US Patent Publication no. 2010057584 describes a light emitting strip structure with light guiding effect, which is hallow light guide strip body made of transparent material. A light guide strip body is formed with an axial internal chamber. Multiple recessed/raised sections are formed on a wall of the internal chamber for deflecting or reflecting light projected into the internal chamber from a light source.
US Patent Publication no. 20100061089 describes a flexible light strip includes an electrical-conductive layer, a plurality of light emitting units, an insulating layer and a heat-conducting layer. The light emitting units are adhered to the electrical-conductive layer and are electrically connected thereto. The insulating layer is overlapped on one surface of the electrical-conductive layer. The insulating layer is provided with a plurality of through holes for allowing the light emitting units to pass through. The heat conductive layer is adhered on the electrical-conductive layer.
However the purpose and methodology of all the above inventions that are part of prior art do not envisage the unique embodiment of several light cells that are in LED, or Electroluminescence (EL) or any other efficient light source that constitute a multi-dimensional light source consisting of a mother cell and several sister cells as required that can be arranged in a continuous manner and is capable of unlimited configuration.
In a co-pending application of the inventor, embodiments describing continuous arrangement of light cells on a flexible substrate are disclosed, however such an embodiment does not have provision to control the switching on and switching off of light cells remotely using a smart device by a wireless means. Thus the present invention endeavors to provide a system of light cells that can be effectively used without using PCB motherboard, hard connection electrical wires or welding that could be placed on an adhesive tape, cloth, or hard surface of unlimited dimensions and powered using a single power source. Further, such a system of light cells can be remotely controlled by switching on or switching off particular light cells using a software application installed on a smart device such as a smart phone by wireless means.
The scope of the invention is to be determined by the terminology of the following description, claims, drawings and the legal equivalents thereof.